After Effects Tutorial - Bend Layers Along Paths in After Effects Part 1

[@RicardoRoehe3D]

I wish there was a internal way to do it, allowing to bend things other than plain images/.AI... This tutorial could be shorter and more direct to the point, but the Omino plugin is a great tip. Thank you!

[@zecuervo2300]

Hi! What I did to fix the tearing, was to apply: Refine Soft Matte, then adjust the contrast (inside the effect) and activate Extend Where Smoothed... play with that, probably it could help.

[@eyedesyn]

+Ze Cuervo Thanks for sharing this!

[@JuanFernandoMaguid]

Cool tip thanks!

[@mikeinmotion1]

Didn't seem to work when I made a shape then pre-comped. But knowing that I am well able to ignore instructions, I went back and found (among other things I skipped) that the pre-comped shape had a comp size that was the size of the whole comp, not snug like in the example. I decreased the blank space around what I was trying to use as the "arm" and it worked great. Lots of useful plug-ins. Thanks.

[@michaelmuller6029]

God bless you, this is exactly the comment I was looking for

[@cutterjohnston5668]

That worked for me. Thank you!!!!!!

[@guytuncer]

Thanks for sharing! @People having problem with this script. It is definitely the source scale that causes the problem. I had to bump up the source scale to 75% to see my artwork along the spline. Also this applies, if the scale is set to a number that is too large. I don't exactly know the ratio but your precomp (artwork) size will have a direct impact on the source scale size. T

[@Evan-Wright]

For people having issues with cc 2017. Try messing with/expanding the "source y-width" and "source x-length"? That plus making the source comp smaller than 1920x1080 did the trick for me. I am also on cc 2017

[@eyedesyn]

Thanks for that tip!

[@ingvarrm2441]

If you have problems and the shape is not displayed, try setting source scale, y-width and center as much as possible. The form will be displayed and you can configure it.

[@MADagain]

Doesn't seem to work in AE 2019?

[@simonlebon2338]

if you copy paste the omino folder in [/support files/presets] instead of [support files/plug-in] it'll work i think.

[@hsia-iu4er]

@@simonlebon2338 Thank you! It's can be use.

[@dublinphotoart]

Duplicate your motion path, a seperate one for each puppet pin to follow and adjust each path's start and end point (using the pen tool) to line up with each corresponding puppet pin ... motion path 1 to puppet pin 1... motion path 2 to puppet pin 2 and so on. You will have to temporarily place a copy of your image at the final position you would like it in order to measure where to end each pin's motion path... add a new anchor point where each pin should stop and remove the original end points of each motion path.. 😀 no plugins, no expressions 😀 (copy/paste each motion path's "path" value to each corresponding puppet pin's "position" value to make its keyframes... dragging it back in line with the motion path if it happens to jump out of position after pasting... quite easy) 😀

[@lotteliebe7092]

How to fix the problems: make sure your pre-comp is a lot smaller than the render comp and then set the source scale up. this did all the difference for me (working with ae 2024)

[@CAsudharsanraju]

damn even helpful video after a decade!!

[@eyedesyn]

wow really?! awesome to hear!

[@Imp12000]

Hey Thanks for lovely tutorial. This plugin also works with shape. we can use shapes instead of image.

[@eyedesyn]

Thanks for the info!

[@natalyagennadi4753]

Thank you so much! Exactly what I need. Gonna try it out.

[@Vendesign]

Super cool. Thank you very mutch, dude!

[@danielpaulodaniel]

Very Nice! I was wondering, how would you do it to transform a regular object into a slinky? Lets say if I wanted to make a coke can jumping down the stairs like a slinky? How would you made it?

[@MyAntom]

Thank you very much, man. Its really working.

[@vkvaibhavkumarvk]

This is was exactly what i wanted, thanks a lot! I am really thankful to this :D

[@eyedesyn]

Nice! Glad to hear it!

[@michaelkinyua3384]

Hey? Thanks for the tip. It didn't work with a vector from AI so i tried it with a hi-res jpeg, The animation works and follows the path right, but it only shows a portion of my graphic.

[@chaitanyakrishnan]

worked!! thanks for the detailed walkthrough

[@a.wholeproductions5733]

Does this plug in work for a path that is in 3d space in After effects?

[@eyedesyn]

This is only for 2D layers

[@nugrohotri3134]

my image is pixeleted once i click source layer in omino. my image is 4K size because it will show in 4K. Please help

[@christianbarcelona3033]

Hi . This is helpful tutorial. how can i add shadow overlapping on it

[@eyedesyn]

Add an Infinite Light with hard shadows and that should give you a nice cartoony shadow. good luck!

[@JuanFernandoMaguid]

Great tutorial and technique, muchas gracias!

[@ghilkygerdian5787]

You save my day! Thank you so much bro :)

[@WallnerAnimation]

Thank you for posting that video. It saved my day! ;)

[@capmofthesea1275]

how do you get it so that the background of the imagine doesnt show up because im always left with the annoying white square around the image im trying to make follow the path

[@tangl8177]

Hey, I had the same problem, that the file for the source layer did not appear, but then I found out it was just way too small, but still when it is way bigger, it only shows parts of it, even with source x-lengh I can never fill the whole path with my file.. also in the width it is just the half of my file visible.. - if you have any suggestions, I would be very thankful :)

[@leagueofscythe7143]

Does anybody know why its only 3000 advance option and source x length 2000 limits ? And how to fix it ?

[@richardwelch1549]

Hi thanks for this video. Was really useful. I'm not sure if theres a limitation with the omino snake plugin but I've been having some issues with more than 1 animation happening at any one time. For example using the above video would it be possible to have 2 x pointing hands and animating them independently? In a similar way to the ING Direct video you took inspiration from has got several independent animations all happening at the same time. I've tried this and it seems to only allow the 'top' layer to work. I've tried either everything in one composition or the 2 x animations in separate comps, with both comps inside the same composition.... Any help / suggestions would be great! Thanks again

[@richardwelch1549]

Ended up just using C4D.

[@eyedesyn]

Richard welch The plug-in definitely does have a ton of limitations (It's free after all!) :) Yeah I'd just use C4D if you have it.

[@lukeburritos]

any tricks for making it work with AE 2019

[@FabrizioLazzeretti]

i made it work, what i did was creating the art on illustrator, then close illustrator because it can cause an afx crash while updating art with adobe dynamic library. Once imported the ai into afx create a composition slightly bigger than the art. Now in the mail composition put the comp with the art and a solid with an open mask on it. Apply omino snake, in the source layer choose the comp with the art and for path choose the mask you just drew. Then play with settigs. This said the plugin look unstable, so save often.

[@lukeburritos]

Thanks! I ended up getting it to work I just resized the composition

[@jambones12]

Hi, I am falling at the first hurdle with cc19. i cant get the plugin to work/ show up. its not in the effects list. Did you have to do anything special?

[@lukeburritos]

James E I hadn’t done anything special

[@jambones12]

Thanks Luke, was that on Mac or PC?

[@Stashdragon]

Is there anyway to use Omino with CC 2014?

[@AccessadvertisingCoUk]

Brook Allen Just extract the file "omino_snake.plugin" and manually place it in your Plugins/Effects folder. I used an application called Pacify to get at the contents of the .pkg file (assuming you are using a Mac)

[@NewtaoV]

Omino Snake didn't work for me. It crops the end of my artwork and even in advance higher number it stops before the end of the path.

[@ThereseSherman]

Thanks for the tips! This is fun.

[@eyedesyn]

Thanks Therese! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@louruiz1003]

Will this work with cc 2015? ...and is plug-in installation easy? I would love to use this to animate a thunderbolt wire.

[@eyedesyn]

Should work!

[@marciajoscelyne4914]

Hi, my comp with the image in is not moving to the path like yours is when you assign the source and path? Is there anything that will effect this?

[@marciajoscelyne4914]

+Marcia Joscelyne Changing any of the scale, or comp size doesn't make a difference.

[@BellamyCatherine]

Thanks a lot! Exactly what I needed.

[@eyedesyn]

Fantastic, glad to hear it!

[@Sapov]

Wow very nice tutorial! just one thing, looks like the advantage tool its buggy, there is a 3000 limit and the source layer cant reach the end of the path, what could be the problem? thanks

[@eyedesyn]

Hey there! Yes, the Omino Snake tool is very buggy, it is a free plug-in but I wish he charged for it and made it super solid!

[@Sapov]

Oh I see, well its very nice for a free plugin, and it has other functions too. Thanks!

[@firstsourcesa]

Very cool plug-in. Saved my arse today :)

[@eyedesyn]

I'm all about helping poeple save their arses! :)

[@mjdi9750]

I did source layer and path but nothing happened :(

[@mattving61]

Great tut!

[@eyedesyn]

Thanks!

[@gmquadro]

Hi! Can I ask you something? I had to create an animation similar at second part of your video, where there are object that grow up deforming, changing bord line. There is a plug-in of AE for this too or i had to use another software? Thank You!

[@SCPVIDEOPRODUCTION]

Nice but for some reason the PNG object that I used came in really small . Much smaller than what I made it. Odd. thanks for the tutorial.

[@cutterjohnston5668]

adjusted the source Y-center to it's max, 250.000, but the source layer was still cut off at the bottom by roughly 30%

[@dont-side-with-genocide]

Hey guys thanks for this video and a small comment. I think the problem that Ben mentions about "funky tearing" at around 9:04 sec of the video. I thin It may have to do with the length of the anchor point handles. I had something funny going on and I reduced the lines and that reduced the overlap and funky tear.

[@saeedzare2410]

I did it many times but it didn't work noithng has been shown on path !!plz help me

[@dannyhengel7645]

When I assign my arm to the path it does not bend or move along the mask path I have created. I am stuck here :P

[@MissSamGreen]

Thank you so much! This is perfect!

[@eyedesyn]

thanks for watching! :)

[@Hanneaune]

HI! I need help... I have been watching this tutorial 10 times now, and I can't make it work for me... I have CC 2015. I try to make an arrow saved as png to bend along a simple curved path. But nothing happens! Do you have any idea what I could have done wrong? Could I have installed the Omino snake wrong?

[@eyedesyn]

You need to make sure that you have the latest version of Omino Snake, and I'm not even sure if Omino Snake is compatible with CC2015 as it's a free plug-in.

[@nannapaskesen]

Hey! Thanks for this tutorial. I've used a vector graphic I have drawn in Illustrator, but somehow it becomes very pixelated with this plugin. I gets black edges and very fuzzy. Do you know why? Or how to fix it? :)

[@eyedesyn]

I don't believe vector is supported, so youd need to make it big enough resolution and precomp it before using Omino Snake!

[@RHaney2012]

I tried this in both CS6 and CC 2015. When I create my layer and apply the source and path mask, nothing happens. Does anyone know what is going on and why I can't get it to work? I have reinstalled the plug in 4 times now in different ways and each time, AE recognizes it exists, but won't apply the layer to the mask path.

[@eyedesyn]

I'd ask the developer of Omino Snake!

[@nerycaballeros3326]

me too

[@themakertwins346]

I haven't messed with omino snake for a while but I recall messing with the scale when it wouldn't show up.

[@247onacid]

i had same thing, than understood my path layer hidden

[@dannyhengel7645]

does this work with the updates in creative cloud? please answer.

[@eyedesyn]

+Danny Hengel I'm not sure, you'll have to check on the website I linked to

[@dannyhengel7645]

+eyedesyn I definitely checked it out and it appears the last updated post regarding Omino was in 2012 was wondering if there was a work around to get this to work? I could always auto-orient my "snake" along a path but it doesn't quite work as well as this final product. I only have access to Creative Cloud. Thank you for the reply

[@eyedesyn]

+Danny Hengel I'd throw an email to the developer who made Omino Snake and see if he has any solutions as he would be the best person to ask about compatibility.

[@eyedesyn]

+eyedesyn Also the last post was from 2014 that you may want to check out: omino.com/pixelblog/2014/04/13/omino-plugins-2-1-for-after-effects/

[@dannyhengel7645]

Thank you I'll definitely take that suggestion :)

[@jorgeluismendozamachin8062]

Works perfect!!!!!!!! 🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇

[@eyedesyn]

Woop!

[@McIverArt]

just curious if the Omino plug-in is crashing after-effects for anyone else?

[@jorgenmellink115]

It does not work with CC and shapes. Am I missing something? I use an vector art work from Illustrator to move on the path.

[@eyedesyn]

Jorgen Mellink I believe you need to have it not be a smart layer or a vector layer.

[@MOVEMEMZ]

Thanks man!

[@eyedesyn]

You bet, thanks for watching!

[@savagenew]

Is there an update to this plugin for cc 2017, I've searched everywhere, looks like the latest version on the site is 2014 which will not work for me, any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

[@eyedesyn]

Hey Mark! If the developer hasn't updated it since 2014 then you'll unfortunately need to use 2014 to use it. The developer really should update it, and sell it! It's a super useful plug-in.

[@savagenew]

Hi eyedesyn, appreciate the feedback, and I agree. However, as I dive deeper into CC 2017 it appears that the same capability now comes with the latest version. It's just been a few years since I've cracked open AE. Thanks!

[@eyedesyn]

There's now an option to bend layers along a path in CC2017??

[@savagenew]

It's more like a wire frame motion, that's what I've discovered so far, honestly I've not been able to find the exact same method/effect as in this video and I've had to move on to trying something else entirely ...I really wish I could get that plugin, I just can't afford to go backwards to AE 14.

[@dennie4760]

Hi Mark! I'm working on this in AE 2017 as well - curious to hear if you managed to find a solution? Thanks!!

[@gisisodia]

My solid is not transparent once I select the source and the phat mask. Any Idea why?

[@gisisodia]

Don't worry. I found the clear background check box :P

[@eyedesyn]

Glad you figured it out!

[@galshenkar5605]

working perfect! wow! thank you

[@eyedesyn]

nice! thanks for watching!

[@sheldondrake8935]

a BIG feature AE needs to add.

[@eyedesyn]

100%

[@MrYoobah]

It's not working at all !!! I followed your tuto step by step, yet it's just impossible to chose the right source layer, as the plug-in seems not to be able to use it... So bad !!! It was so promising :/

[@eyedesyn]

I mean this tutorial is verryyyyy old at this point, im sure there are better options!

[@MrYoobah]

@@eyedesyn Thanks for your reply. I could finally make it work. Yet, I had to do some tricks to make it work as I wanted. Interesting plug-in anyway.

[@hannarivera4801]

i could not find it anymore :c

[@funside7662]

mine is not working

[@pabloezequielpadula7278]

same here

[@ramsea7844]

Any for CS4?

[@АлександрМастеров-щ9в]

didn't work with shapes as source((

[@XchelRocks]

I had the same problem.

[@eyedesyn]

***** Just convert the shapes to normal layers, its one of the limitations of a free plug-in unfortunately. I'd hound the developer to make it possible to do this!

[@neznamodvojeno5843]

Yeah, doesnt work for me as well.. Nothing happens when i assign source and path. Using CC

[@neznamodvojeno5843]

+Neznam Odvojeno got it to work, played with source scale, and scaled down the png.

[@romanr9883]

If you just want to use for a simple path with 1 or 2 corners (like in the hand example) you can achieve this a lot easier without using a plugin. Just create a "comp 1" that is very long and narrow like 2000*100px and give it a solid background (for now) then place this "comp 1" into a typical 1080p main comp - scale it down till it is just a line and use the pin tool to deform it in a way you like. Then go back to comp 1, delete the background and paste your hand into it and animated it to let it move up and down. This should create exactly this effect in your main comp

[@jamil1985]

Check out BOA, it bends layer along path with many other features. aescripts.com/bao-boa/

[@saeedzare2410]

it doesn't work properly with 2019

[@Caerph1lly]

This tutorial is great! But, Omino snake doesn't work with newer versions of AE, and I was in a bind, and found this script: aescripts.com/bao-boa/ It's pricey, but if you know you'll use it, it's kinda worth it. There's a tutorial on it on webpage as well, at the bottom, and a free trial. It's basically just what this tutorial shows, but with a different plug-in.

[@eyedesyn]

Boa Boa is a great solution for achieving this type of effect in AE, definitely worth the money! Omino has been limited and buggy due to its lack of support and it being free.

[@Mike......................]

Im not sure if they maybe updatet it, but the plugin on that site works perfectly with my newest After Effects Version omino.com/store/

[@Mike......................]

Mishael Aldape Im also using the 2018 Version and there aren't any updates available at the moment, so it should be the newest version. I hadn't time to check out which exact Version it is.

[@Mike......................]

Mishael Aldape I absolutely don't know. And it really is working, I even done some tests with it, and everything worked fine. Maybe because I have two different hard disks in my PC. A fast one for all the Adobe programs and one for the operating system. But I can't imagine that being the source of error.

[@Mike......................]

Mishael Aldape I just checked my Version. It's Version 15.0.1 (Build 73). I don't know if that's helpful.

[@diariodadebs]

I wasn't able to make the plugin work on AE CC 2019 :/ Have you tried to?

[@lukeburritos]

same problem

[@eyedesyn]

the developer is not too good with keeping this up to date! try aescripts.com/ouroboros-2/

[@dublinphotoart]

No plugins no expressions... I simply make duplicates of the motion path for each puppet pin to follow and extend the start of each path with the pen tool to line up with each corresponding puppet pin and cut each path at the end to line up where each puppet pin ends.... so each puppet pin has its own adjusted start and end point but following duplicates of the same motion path... puppet pin 1 puppet pin 2... motion path 1, motion path 2 etc... (copy "path" value of each motion path to corresponding puppet pin's "position" value... dragging it back in line if it jumps after pasting) ... . did i explain that well? 🤔😲

[@Maximforall]

Pls get to the point. Works for me with cc 2018.

[@gibo2234]

how???? when I download it and launch it it says "sorry this was designed for cs6 and it closes.

[@Maximforall]

Dunno. just copy pasted. Using Mac latest Update.

[@gibo2234]

I did that now and I can see it on the effect panel but it doesnt actually work. I have cc2017

[@Usselino]

BaoBoa from AEscripts.com will do the job.

[@eyedesyn]

Yes, it was long overdue!

I like your tutorials, both none of them has source file to exercise as well. Why? :/ It could be help understand easier the tutorial and don't waste time to creating hands :(

[@eyedesyn]

Learning by doing is the best way to improve, so this is why I don't provide project files.

[@honerzawita8024]

me too, i dosnt work

[@aikastuno4615]

this dont work :( is so sad

[@ArtInMotionStudios]

darn this does not work for 2017 :(

[@eyedesyn]

It's pretty outdated at this point, definitely check out Boa Boa! aescripts.com/bao-boa/

[@Flikkey]

Hi there, You've been a great support publishing this tutorial but I've tested this for a few hours and still no success with using omino snake plugin. I've tried precomping, shape layers, path layers, null layers along with the source layer being a vector and a jpeg. I can't get any animation, it's just static. I know the other omni plugins can work but this is beyond me. I've ended up using this tutorial that uses Echo: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j3bcm3ShgKt9f7M "Animate a stream of objects along a path in After Effects"

[@eyedesyn]

Felescia Schemmer You have to make sure you're using a version of After Effects that supports Omino Snake or contact the developer. Which version do you use?

[@Flikkey]

eyedesyn I'm using Adobe AE CS6. Some of the other plugins work ok but I think there's at least 1 other plugin that is not working. I haven't contacted the developer because from the impression I got from his blog it seemed like he phased out the project during mid 2011. I think I downloaded the latest one off their website. ReadMe file says the last update was April 2014. So maybe I should ask?

[@dannyhengel7645]

eyedesyn does CC not work then?

[@SupSupa10]

;)

[@simplysurfing]

Why lot of explain talking in the beginning than actual tutorial ? To stretch the time duration so that you get a longer view count in youtube ? For that boring repetition ?

[@eyedesyn]

Why so much complaining about a free tutorial? To make someone feel bad that offers up their knowledge and help for free?